Henry e



(No Model.)

H. E. ROLPH.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES. No. 603,015. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

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UNITED STATES FFIQEQ HENRY E. ROLPH, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN D. BURT, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,015, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed November 23,1897- Serial No. 659,552. (No model.)

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. RoLrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and the State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vehicle- Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brakes for wagons, carriages, and similar vehicles; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, of the rear wheels and rear portion of the running-gear of an ordinary wagon with my improved automatic brake attached thereto. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5 is an en larged cross-sectional view of the brake-actuating mechanism, illustrating the construction more fully and also illustrating a modification in the manner of mounting the same. Fig. dis a detached sectional detail of the hub and its teeth and the toothed draw-bar.

This invention is applicable to any kind of wagon or carriage; but for the purpose of illustration I have shown it applied to an ordinary wagon, A A representing the rear wheels, A the rear axle, A the bolster, A the reach, and A A the rear hounds, all of these parts being of the usual construction.

13 is the brake-beam, having the brakeshoes 13 B and suspended loosely by rods a a from the hounds A A as shown, so that the beam and its shoes may be moved toward and away from the wheels A A to set the brake.

D is the lever, pivoted at b to the hound A and lying substantially parallel to the beam B and connected thereto at the center of the beam by a rod b and having an arm E, pivoted at b to the free end, so that power applied to the arm E will draw the beam backward and set the shoes 13 B against the wheels.

The hub A of the wheel A is providedwith a series of ratchet-teeth cl, while the arm E is provided at its outer or free end with teeth d adapted to be engaged by the teeth d when the arm E is elevated, as hereinafter shown.

F is a rod supported by hangers F F across beneath the hounds A A and with a short offset or crank 6, preferably with a roller 6 to reduce the friction, the crank and roller resting beneath the arm E.

When the crank and its roller are in their lowermost position, as in the drawings, the arm E will rest with its teeth (1 out of contact with the teeth d, as in Fig. 1, but if the rod F be revolved one-fourth a revolution the crank, with its roller, will throw the arm E upward, so that as the wheel A revolves the teeth cl will engage the teeth d and draw the arm E backward, and thus set the brake-shoes against the wheels A A Attached to the rod F is a tube G, having a ball G2 in its interior, as shown. The tube is connected to the rod F near one end, as shown, so that when the ball G is at the short end of the tube it will hold the tube tilted up, as in the drawings. VVhen in this position, the ball will exert its force to hold the rod F turned, with the crank e in its downward position and the arm E and its teeth 61 out of engagement with the teeth d.

When the vehicle is running over level ground or up or down slight grades, the ball G will remain quiescent in the short end of the tube; but when the vehicle runs down a steep grade the reach A and the hounds A A will, in conforming to the surface of the incline, cause the tube G to be correspondingly tilted and cause the ball G to run down into the long end of the tube and tilt it downward and turn the rod F and throw the crank e upward and elevate the arm E and cause the teeth (I to be engaged by the teeth 61, and thus set the brake, as before described. By this means the brake will be automatically set when the vehicle runs down a heavy grade, but will remain inoperative when running on level ground or when running down a slight grade.

The inclination of the tube G may be set so as to adapt the apparatus to become operative at any desired grade, according to circumstances or the load to be carried.

The method shown for coupling the rod F to the tube G is'a practical, one; but I do not wish to be limited to any specific form of coupling.

The free end of the tube G will be connected by a chain h to the hounds to limit its downward movement.

The length of the tube G will be sufficient so that the weight of the ball will exert a sufficient leverage to hold the arm E firmly in contact with the hub A so that the force of the brake when once put in action will be continuous.

In Fig. 1 a spring G3 is shown in the tube G, against which the ball G will expend part of its force when first running down the long end of the tube G, so that the brake will not be applied too suddenly. This may be found advantageous under some circumstances.

In Fig. 5 rubber cushions t" i are shown in the ends of the tube G to receive the impact of the ball and prevent undue concussion.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the rod F is shown supported in a casting I-I, attached across beneath the hounds and reach, which may be found of advantage under some circumstances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a vehiclebrake, a brake-beam having shoes and adapted to be set against the wheels of the vehicle, a series of teeth upon one of the hubs of one of the wheels of the vehicle, a bar connected by one end to the brake-actuating mechanism and supported beneath the teeth upon said hub, aball poised to hold said toothed bar out of engagement with said hub-teeth when the vehicle is moving on sub stantially level ground, and adapted to trip said toothed bar into engagement with said hub-teeth when the vehicle moves down a certain predetermined grade, substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic vehicle-brake, a beam having shoes and adapted to be set against the wheels of the vehic1e,a series of teeth upon one of the hubs of one of the wheels, a lever connected to said beam and pivoted by one end to the running-gear of the vehicle, an arm connected to said lever and extending beneath said series of teeth and with teeth adapted to be engaged by said hub-teeth, a

rod journaled beneath the running-gear of the vehicle and with a crank extending beneath said arm and adapted to actuate said arm when revolved, a counter-poise associated with said rod, and means whereby said counterpoise is rendered effective to revolve said rod only when said vehicle runs down a certain predetermined grade, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic vehicle-brake, a brakebeam having shoes and adapted to be set against the wheels of the vehicle, a series of teeth upon one of the hubs of one of the wheels of the vehicle, a lever connected to said beam and pivoted by one end to the runninggear of the vehicle, an arm connected to said lever and extending beneath said series of teeth, and with teeth adapted to be engaged by said hub-teeth, a rod journaled beneath the running-gear of the vehicle and with a crank extending beneath said arm and adapt ed to actuate said arm when revolved, a tube coupled to said rod, and a ball within said tube, substantially as set forth.

4. In an automatic vehicle-brake, abrakebeam having shoes and adapted to be set against the wheels of the vehicle, a series of teeth upon one of the hubs of one of the wheels, a lever connected to said beam and pivoted by one end to the running-gear of the vehicle, an arm connected to said lever and extending beneath said series of teeth, and with teeth adapted to be engaged by said hubteeth, a rod journaled beneath the runninggear of the vehicle and with a crank extendin g beneath said arm and adapted to actuate said arm when revolved, a tube coupled to said rod and a ball within said tube, and a coiled spring within said tube, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. ROLPH.

In presence of- G. N. WOODWARD, J AMES D. DRUEGN. 

